Conclusion

10.1163/ej.9789004168435.i-309.51

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Chapter Summary

This is the concluding chapter of the book, which draws attention to the manner in which the oath functions in a prominent literary role in biblical narrative. Oaths can also depict the nature of a given relationship, such as the various tensions between David and the sons of Zeruiah, or Saul and his son, Jonathan. The book posits as a premise that the particular language of an oath formula should be strongly indicative of its underlying meaning and therefore should augment the reader's apprehension of the biblical narrative. David's character is even more complex than Saul's. Even after examining the oaths in David's life, David remains a complex biblical character whose composite personality reveals different, even contradictory traits as we perceive him in different situations throughout the narrative.